Oil-switch for high-tension electric currents.



H. L. MATHERS.

OIL SWITCH FOR HIGH TENSION ELECTRIC CURRENTS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.2!. WW.

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01L SWITCH FOR HIGH TENSION ELECTRIC CURRENTS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.2|, m1.

1 ,277,981 Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

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COMPANY, 01' WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

OIL-SWITCH FOB HIGH IEN'SION ELECTRIC CURREN'I'S.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

Application filed September 21, 1917. Serial No. 198,590.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBER L. MATHERB, a citizen of the United States,residing at Tamaqua, in the county of Schuylkill and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oil-Switches for High-Tension Electric Currents, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to oil switches for high tension electriccurrents and the object of the invention is to provide a very simple andeconomical oil switch so constructed that it may be used to completeelectric circuits carryin high tension currents without danger o arcingand without danger of the operator being shocked while manipulating theswitch.

Switches have heretofore been provided in which the moving contactpoints were immersed in an oil bath to prevent the formation of an arc,or the production of sparks at the moment of making or breaking thecircuit. However, these switches have been quite complicated andconsequently expensive to manufacture. It is primarily the object of thepresent invention to secure the desired results, namely, the provisionof a are secured will comprise few, simple andinexpensive parts.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in thedetailed description which now follows.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a face view of the switch;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the inside face of the cover of the switch,and the parts carried thereby;

Fig. 3 is a face view of the switch with the cover and the parts carriedthereby removed;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view; and

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view. through a pointer carried by theoperating shaft.

Like numerals designate. corresponding parts in all of the figures ofthe drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates a box or caslng having a lining6 of sheet lead which makes the same oil tight. A

cover 7 may be held in lace in any desired manner, as for example yscrews 8, as illustrated in Flg. 4 or by straps 9., as indicated mFig. 1. In the latter case the straps will be provided with locks 10 toprevent unauthorlzed persons from removing the cover. The bottom of thereceptacle receives a slate plate 11 and the top 7 carries a slate plate12. The slate plate 12 supports a plurallty of, in the present instance,three, U- shaped resilient contacts 13, that are secured to plate 12 bycountersunk screws 14.. The plate 11 carries a corresponding number ofU-shaped sprlng contacts 15 that are secured to said plate 11 bycountersunk screws 16.

Journaled in the plates 11 and 12 and in cured thereto for rotationtherewith a disk- 1? of insulating material and this disk carrles aplurality of copper buttons 20, there be ng as many of said buttons asthere are pairs of contacts 13 and 15 respectively.

When, by a partial rotation of shaft 17, the several copper buttons arecaused to move between the members of the pairs of contacts 13 and 15, acircuit will be completed between these contacts. Suitable contactingwires, indicated at 21, lead from the contacts 13, and suitablecontacting wires 22 lead from the contacts 15. It is to be understoodthat when in use the casing is filled with oil to such a point that theseveral contacts are submerged in the oil so that when the buttons 20move between the contacts 13 and 15, arcing or the formation of sparks,is posltively prevented. Furthermore, the immersion of the contactpoints and the buttons in oil prevents corrosion thereof and kee s theseparts clean and in condition to ma e a highly effective contact.

Furthermore, it is to be noted that when moving into contacting positiona rubbing action between the buttons and the resilient manifestly wellwithin the range of the.

obvious to vary the number of contacts to suit the particular conditionsat any given time.

While the elements shown and described are well adapted to serve thepurposes forwhich they are intended it is to be understood that theinvention is not limited to the precise construction set forth but thatit includes within its purview such changes as fairly come within thespirit of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what I claim is:. 1

1. The combination with'an oil tight casing, of a'shaft mounted torotate therein, a disk of insulating material carried by said shaft,metallic buttons carried by said disk of insulating materialandprojecting therethrough, blocks of insulating material disposed uponopposite'sides of said disk and lying in substantial parallelismtherewith, contact members of resilient material .and of U-shape, one ofthe legs of said contact members being secured to the correspondingblock of insulating material and the other and free legs of'said contactmembers being disposed in the path of movetent acting to stop the samein ment of the buttons of the insulating disk, an indicating pointercarried by the shaft and located outside of the casin and a doatposition where the buttons of the insulating disk lie directly betweenand establishes communication between the op osed contact members.

2'. A device of t e character described comprisin a box-like oil tightcasing, blocks of insulating-material secured therein and lying inspaced relation to each other a shaft mounted to turn in said blocks ofinsulating material, a of insulatin material carried by and turning withsai shaft, a plurality of contact buttons carried by said disk andprojecting therethrough and beyond the opposite side thereof, aplurality of contact members secured-to each of the blocks of insulatinmaterial, said contact members being of fi-shape and being formed ofresilient material and comprising free legs which lie in the path ofmovement of'the contact buttons, an indicating pointer carried b saidshaft outside of the casing and space detents for engaging said pointerand holding the same in the contact making position of the buttons.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

HERBERT L. MATHERS. Witnesses:

Wm. H. Woonwmn

